Home Sweet Home | Thankful Thursday

Today is Thankful Thursday and my family and I have a LOT to be thankful for. On Saturday we finally get the keys to our new home. We are going to be renting a house in town and the four of us can hardly wait. Javan has an away football game Saturday, so we want to go support him and show him some love and then we can start moving in!!

PSALM 40:1 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”

We have been praying and seeking God for 22 months to give us a home. We had one disappointment after another. We tried to buy a house and that all fell through over and over. We tried to find a home to rent to no avail. We sought God with tears and many times in desperation. Friends and family were praying for us. Sometimes we were judged and treated unfairly because people thought they knew us and that living in a crowded environment where we were told we were not welcome was more appealing to us than having our own home. The comments were meant to hurt us. It just caused the four of us to become closer. 

People will talk; let them! It may be giving someone else a break. Keep your eye on God and you will find His Word is full of promises He will keep! Don’t give up!!!!

Today my family and I are finally free. The shackles that held us for so long did not stunt our spiritual growth. These chains that held us much longer than we wanted are finally gone!! God has provided for us like only He can and we are blessed beyond measure.

If you’re still in the  waiting season; do not give up and do not lose heart!! God is up to something!! What are you thankful for today? God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 34 | Bible Study Wednesday

I was able to return to work last week and worked three shifts. It was exhausting but I am so thankful to God for how He touched my body!

Today I want to continue with our Bible study through Psalms. We are in Psalm 34. If you haven’t already done so, take a moment and ask Holy Spirit to open the Scriptures to you. Next, read through the 22 verses in this Psalm. It is a Psalm of David referring to what happened in the second half of 1 Samuel chapter 21. I encourage you to read that short chapter as well. 

David traveled to a place called Nob. He goes to the priest Ahimelech. David is hungry and unarmed. He manages to get the showbread for himself and the men with him. They leave with the sword of Goliath, too. How fitting for David to receive the sword from the giant he slew in the famous battle. 

Achish is the king of Goliath’s hometown and so when the king’s servants recognized David and recalled the song the people sang about Saul killed thousands and David killed ten thousands, David started to feel fear. 

David had to do some quick thinking on his feet. 1 Samuel 21:13 “And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gates, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.”

David’s performance was Oscar-worthy. The king believed he was mentally unstable. He questioned his servants as to why they would bring that kind of man into his home. So David was spared. And now we pick up in Psalm 34. 

VERSES 1-7: David is rejoicing that God delivered him from king Achish. God saw David fearful of the king of Gath and God rescued David in a very unique way!

VERSES 8-10: David remembers how God used the priest to feed him and his hungry men. David is an eyewitness of the goodness of God.

VERSES 11-14: Much like other psalms we have studied this year; David is giving us instruction. Don’t speak evil. Keep your conversation pure. Run away from wickedness and do good things instead. Seek peace and pursue it. David says by doing this it is fearing the Lord God!

VERSES 15-22 David compares the way God responds to His children and the way He responds to those who are not His children. There are blessings for His children and curses for the wicked. Notice verse 19 says many are the afflictions of the righteous! Not the wicked but the righteous are facing many afflictions. Not just a few hard times. There will be many but the great news is God delivers us out of every single one of them! That’s something to shout about!

Friends I don’t know what all of you are going through but God is greater and stronger than anything we face. I hope you are encouraged today. I pray this is strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens